-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- If Liverpool end this season with a first English league title since 1990 , then perhaps the club can look back to a hand dealt by fate on April 6 , 2014 .

Multiple hands , in fact , and some arms -- as Brendan Rodgers ' team returned to the top of the Premier League table with a controversial 2-1 win at West Ham .

First the outstretched limb of home defender James Tomkins , seeking to stop the progress of Luis Suarez , allowed Liverpool captain Steven Gerrard to put his team ahead from the penalty spot .

Then the flailing hand of former $ 50 million Reds flop Andy Carroll clouted the head of Simon Mignolet at a corner . As an encore , he knocked the visiting goalkeeper 's arm away from the ball , allowing Guy Demel to equalize in stoppage time .

Referee Anthony Taylor overruled his linesman , who had flagged for a foul by Carroll -- much to the anger of the Liverpool players watching the replay on the big screen at Upton Park .

If Taylor got that wrong , he made up for it in the second half by awarding Liverpool another penalty which Gerrard again converted .

West Ham keeper Adrian had appeared to make contact with the ball with his outstretched hand before the onrushing Jon Flanagan sprawled to the grass .

Rodgers , however , believed the official got that one right .

`` The first penalty was clear and I thought the second one was a penalty as well , '' the Liverpool manager said .

`` Jon gets a touch on the ball and touches it past the goalkeeper . The keeper gets a touch on the ball , but also takes him . ''

West Ham counterpart Sam Allardyce , whose team remained mid-table and seemingly safe from relegation , was less impressed .

`` Flanagan is going down before Adrian plays the ball , '' he said . '' -LRB- The ref -RRB- thinks Adrian has n't played the ball and he has .

`` I feel let down , the lads feel really let down . We took Liverpool right to the wire . ''

And that is where the title race appears to be headed , with five rounds remaining for most teams .

Liverpool , four points clear of third-placed Manchester City having played two games more , will face a big test of their aspirations when the two teams meet at Anfield next Sunday .

The Reds then go to struggling Norwich before hosting Chelsea , second in the table at the end of this weekend -- two points adrift , also with five to play .

It was Liverpool 's ninth successive win , and the club will likely have to beat the record of 12 in a row set back in 1990 to have a chance of denying City a second title in three seasons .

`` We 'll just keep our focus , keep that concentration . It did n't matter that Manchester City or Chelsea won yesterday -- it ca n't affect us , '' Rodgers said .

`` We have to control ourselves and our own emotions and get the job done . That was a real tough game today , but we got a great result . ''

Rodgers said Liverpool have extra incentive to win the title , with this month being the 25th anniversary of the Hillsborough stadium disaster which claimed 96 lives during a crush at the FA Cup semifinal against Nottingham Forest .

`` There are 96 people in the sky that will always be supporting this team , '' the Northern Irishman said .

`` We want to do it for the great support and the football family of Liverpool . If we 're to achieve anything this year , certainly they will always be in our thoughts -- the 96 in the sky and the families that go with them . ''

Meanwhile , the race for England 's fourth place in next season 's Champions League turned in Everton 's favor on Sunday as Liverpool 's city rivals thrashed the incumbents Arsenal 3-0 .

Strikers Steven Naismith and Romelu Lukaku scored before former Everton favorite Mikel Arteta netted an own-goal , putting Roberto Martinez 's team just a point behind the Londoners with a game in hand .

`` The implications today were quite unique . We were hoping for a result but what was needed today was breaking many barriers , '' said the Spanish manager , who has impressed since taking over after David Moyes left to join Manchester United .

`` In 22 games we have played against Arsenal we only scored one goal or less : today we kept a clean sheet and scored three and looked like we could have scored more .

`` The performance had an arrogant focus which was very pleasing to see . ''

Arsene Wenger , whose team had topped the table for large parts of this season , admitted Arsenal 's morale was flagging after some heavy away defeats against the leading teams .

`` They have taken something of our charisma from the team . Is that belief ? Is it fear ? Is it confidence ? '' said the Frenchman , who has guided Arsenal into Europe 's top competition for 16 successive years .

`` I would n't question the spirit of this team . They are focused and want to do well but they have lost something on the confidence front . ''

Norwich sacked manager Chris Hughton on Sunday after the 1-0 defeat by West Brom left the club one place above the relegation zone , but five points clear of the bottom three teams .

The club 's under-18 team coach Neil Adams was appointed to take the place of the former Tottenham player until the end of this season .

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Sunday 's 2-1 win at West Ham puts Liverpool back on top of English Premier League

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Captain Steven Gerrard scores two penalties in team 's ninth successive victory

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Former Liverpool striker Andy Carroll involved in controversy for West Ham equalizer

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Arsenal 's top-four hopes dented by 3-0 defeat away to Liverpool 's city rivals Everton